Monday, September 26, 2011

Iranian court: Youcef is apostate, ordered to recant faith in Christ

Youcef Determined To Be An Apostate And Commanded To Recant
Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani
IRAN - The 11th branch of Gilan Provincial Court determined on Sunday (Sept. 25) that Youcef Nadarkhani has Islamic ancestry and therefore must recant his faith in Jesus Christ. The Islamic judges demanded that he recant his faith in Christ. They have stated that even though their judgment is against current Iranian laws, they must uphold the previous decision of the 27th Branch of the Supreme Court in Qom.


When the judges asked him to “repent,” Youcef stated, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges replied, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” To which he replied, “I can not.”



Youcef will appear in court for two additional “hearings” on September 27th and 28th for the sole purpose of being called upon to recant.  

Present Truth Ministries' sources report that though they are being told the case will be sent back to the Supreme Court they fear that the provincial court will act upon a law, that was temporarily ratified by parliament, and he will be executed on Thursday or sometime thereafter.

The law dictates what should be done with apostates depending on what type of apostasy has been committed. 

Section 6 – 225 : “when a person His or Her parents were Muslims at the moment they were trying to have baby , and He or She converts to another religious without claiming to be Muslim, He or She is a National apostate.” 

Section 8 – 225 states the procedure for handling a national apostate, “the death sentence is the penalty for National apostate, but after the verdict was pronounced, He or  She will be commanded to repent of what He or She has done and if He refuses to repent, He will be killed.”

We ask that you continue in prayer for Youcef. 

Ultimately, this is a spiritual battle against demonic forces seeking to overthrow the faith not only of Youcef, but of many believers in Iran. Let’s agree together in prayer, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that the work of Satan will be bound through anyone involved in this case. Pray that God will change their hearts and save their souls. Remember as you pray that with God all things are possible.

Source: Present Truth Ministries 

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